Students thankful for new Portland Adult Education Center

PORTLAND, Maine (NEWS CENTER) - More than 1,000 students, mainly immigrants and refugees, are happy to be able to return to school this semester. All summer, they were not sure if school would be back in session on time because the Portland Adult Education program had to leave its location on Douglass Street.

At first, there weren't any other available buildings that could offer parking and classrooms for so many students, volunteers and teachers. Then, on August 16, the West program moved out of the former Cathedral School on Locust Street. Students and volunteers had exactly one month to move into the building in time for school to start.

Students wrote letters to city officials this summer, informing them of how important the adult education program was to them becoming U.S. citizens and integrating into the American culture.

Now, students say they want to write "thank you" cards to city officials for keeping their American dreams alive.